Buy mac pro now or wait for next update?

A

aristo3650

Guest
it's klling me, I've been planning on upgrading for a while now from my powerbook g4. Should I just wait the few months for the next updated mac pros, hoping for quad cores, or should i just bite the bullet and get one now? I read the anandtech.com article about the quad core chips and they said the slower quad chips can easily outpreform the faster core duo chips.

http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2832&p=6

I will constanting be running full CS2 suite as well as macromedia suite, itunes, firefox, ichat, mail, all at once, 90% of the time. Would I be better off with the quad cores?
Any and all opinions welcomed.
 
Joined
Jan 15, 2006
Messages
534
Reaction score
10
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 2.66GHz Quad, 1GB RAM
it's klling me, I've been planning on upgrading for a while now from my powerbook g4. Should I just wait the few months for the next updated mac pros, hoping for quad cores, or should i just bite the bullet and get one now? I read the anandtech.com article about the quad core chips and they said the slower quad chips can easily outpreform the faster core duo chips.

http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2832&p=6

I will constanting be running full CS2 suite as well as macromedia suite, itunes, firefox, ichat, mail, all at once, 90% of the time. Would I be better off with the quad cores?
Any and all opinions welcomed.
You can always put those new chips in the current mac pro. You just need a
ton of ram for what your doing. the other problem is when the new chips are out somthing newer will be on its way.

btw the current mac pro is quad core. 2 x dual core chips = quad core. The current mac pro doesn't use coreduos it uses intel xeon woodcrests.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
665
Reaction score
46
Points
28
Location
Birmingham (S), UK
Your Mac's Specs
20" iMac Intel Core Duo 2 (Standard)
I expect that you will see a Mac Mini upgrade then a Mac Pro Upgrade...

Although I think the MacPro will be more than capable of doing what you want.
 
Joined
Jan 15, 2006
Messages
534
Reaction score
10
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 2.66GHz Quad, 1GB RAM
I expect that you will see a Mac Mini upgrade then a Mac Pro Upgrade...

Although I think the MacPro will be more than capable of doing what you want.
I dont expect a mac pro pdate until spring, apple is always late when it comes to processors. I still dont know why anyone would need 8 cores?

Also the 8 core mac will have slower clock speeds, so in everyday usage it will be slower than the current one.
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
665
Reaction score
46
Points
28
Location
Birmingham (S), UK
Your Mac's Specs
20" iMac Intel Core Duo 2 (Standard)
Well I'm not saying that the Mac Pro upgrade will be soon just merely pointing out the progression in the order it will come in.

It would make more sense for them to Launch the new Mac Pro around the same time as Leopard Launches, as they can then show of their main Software Piece, and there best Hardware in one go.
 
OP
A

aristo3650

Guest
sounds good, i'll be ordering a new mac pro monday then :cool: mr g5, i ment 8 cores, quad core duo core core 2 duo, whatever too many names thanks for the info tough, appreciate it everyone. Now the only question is, is the extra cash worth the 3.0ghz vs. the 2.66?
 
Joined
Jan 15, 2006
Messages
534
Reaction score
10
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 2.66GHz Quad, 1GB RAM
sounds good, i'll be ordering a new mac pro monday then :cool: mr g5, i ment 8 cores, quad core duo core core 2 duo, whatever too many names thanks for the info tough, appreciate it everyone. Now the only question is, is the extra cash worth the 3.0ghz vs. the 2.66?

Based on what you said before, I would spend that money updrading the RAM over the proccessor. The base amount of RAM will not be enough for all the things you plan to be using at once. The quad mac pro is very fast and it will suite you well. When i'm rendering an HD movie in final cut pro, I only get to 65% on each core.

The nice thing is that those new proccessors will work in the current mac pro so you dont have to be worried about being replaced.
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
4,576
Reaction score
378
Points
83
Location
St. Somewhere
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
aristo3650, one word of caution. I was just in my local Apple store this afternoon, testing out CS2 Photoshop running on today's best Mac Pro, sporting the 3.0 GHz parts. While empirical, the following may be useful. On my PowerMac G5, Photoshop CS2 launches from click on the Dock icon to fully ready for use in about 6 seconds. That same number on the news Mac Pro was 12-14 seconds. A lot of this is the Rosetta effect of course, but I had heard Rosetta exacted a 40% to 50% penalty, not a 100% penalty.

For now, and until CS3 comes out, an older PowerMac G5 is without question the fastest Apple Photoshop processor out there. If that is your main application, you may wish to reconsider the purchase of a Mac Pro, or just hold off until the spring when Adobe releases CS3 in Universal.
 
OP
A

aristo3650

Guest
I was originally planning on holding out until CS3 UB was released but i just dont know if I can wait that long. I know to expect the rosetta effect but I figure its still faster than the powerbook g4 im using right now. I was actually going to buy the macbook pro since mobility was an issue before but it is not now so I might as well get a mac pro. Thanks for the heads up mac57 but spring is just so far from now =( and that's if they actually do release it in spring.
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2005
Messages
6,188
Reaction score
254
Points
83
Location
New Jersey
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
I am waiting, but only because the speed increase over my quad is not enough to justify the price. Although when the octo-core comes out I am sure I will buy it because that most certainly will be faster in final cut then the g5.

If I was in your position, it does not make sense to wait. sure when the next computers come out you will not have the best computer any more but your will still be just as fast as the day you got it. So I say go out and buy the mac pro, it makes the most sense and you will notice a difference. There is no speed increase in my 1.5ghz powerbook and my new 2.16ghz mbp in photoshop, but stepping up to the quad core 3.0ghz there should be a difference for you.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2006
Messages
217
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Tampa, FL
Your Mac's Specs
Powerbook G4 12" 1.5GHz
You also have to remember that the new quad-core Xeon 5300 series chips will work in the Mac Pro, even without any software or BIOS updates. Anandtech even tried themselves by replacing the dual stock Xeon 5100s, and OSX did recognize all 8 cores. Waiting to buy the Mac Pro doesn't make much sense to me because it will always be upgradeable to dual quad-core Xeon chips. I don't think Apple will be releasing a new Mac Pro for a long while, because their current product will work with the upcoming Xeon 5300s, so all they have to do is throw a couple of those chips in there and come out with another amazing product without actually having to redesign anything at all...
 
Joined
Nov 9, 2005
Messages
142
Reaction score
4
Points
18
I'm waiting as well. I've got a PB 12" and a Windows rig which I'll be selling in favor of a Mac Pro. Waiting till Spring will get you Leopard and iLife 07 preinstalled, so you won't have to blow more money upgrading. Then of course there's the probability of some new processor offerings.

I wonder if they'll ditch the FBDIMMs. Intel is probably going to ditch them, because no one is a big fan of the high price/high latency. It'd be nice to have more economical RAM options.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2006
Messages
217
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Tampa, FL
Your Mac's Specs
Powerbook G4 12" 1.5GHz
Intel won't ditch FB-DIMM anytime soon. Even their new Xeon MP chipset for the Xeon 7000/7100 series features FB-DIMM. It will probably be 1-2 years before they go for another memory technology.
 
OP
A

aristo3650

Guest
yea that was one thing that kinda worried me, Was hoping the prices would drop a little faster than intel dropping the memory itself:eek:
 
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
117
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Maryland
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 2 GB Ram,Mac Pro Dual 2.66,10 GB Ram Feeding into a 30" LCD
I will be picking mine up hopefully this week probaly next weekend for sure. I have to see what my bank account looks like.
 
OP
J

jamieemm

Guest
I Am Having A Similar Problem...

I wanted to by a mac book for christmas for....myself, but after reading all the replies i am starting to wonder, will they come out with a newer model of the MacBook when they release Leopard? hmmmm i am impaciant i think i will just get the mac book now
 
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
117
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Maryland
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 2 GB Ram,Mac Pro Dual 2.66,10 GB Ram Feeding into a 30" LCD
I will be picking mine up hopefully this week probaly next weekend for sure. I have to see what my bank account looks like.

I got my Mac Pro yesterday it's a sweet machine. It's pretty dam fast too!!!!!
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top